Apparatus for supplying cool air to buildings.



' PATENTED JULY 28, 1903,

' A. SIEBBRT. v

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING 0001. AIR T0 BUILDINGS.

APPLIOATIOI IiLBD APR. 25, 1903.

2 sums-sum 1.

N0 MODEL.

No. 134,975. P TENTE JULY 28, 1903.

I A. SIEBBRT. APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING 00% AIR T0 BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1908.

NO MODEL. 2, SHEETS-SEER! 2.

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Patented July 2 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED SIEBERT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING COOL AIR TO BUILDINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,975, dated July 28, 1903. Application filed April 25,1903. Serial No. 154,195. (No model.)

To all 1071/0777, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SIEBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Cool Air to Buildings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for use in cooling air to be subsequently delivered into a room or rooms of a building, the object of the invention being to cool the interiors of dwellings, public buildings, hotels, theaters, &c., without the use of a refrigerating-machine.

Myinvention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a view illustrating my apparatus, partly in plan and partlyin horizontal section. Fig. II is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the air-drying compartment of the apparatus on line II II, Fig. I. Fig. III is a vertical transverse section taken on line III III, Fig. I, through the air-drying and evaporating compartments of the apparatus. Fig. IV is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of the water-cooling tower of the apparatus. Fig. V is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of the solution-cooling tower. Fig. VI is an enlarged view, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, showing details of the checker-work in either the water-cooling tower or the solution-cooling tower. Fig. VII is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on line VII VII, Fig. I, through the air-cooling box of the apparatus.

Before proceeding with a description of my apparatus it is well to state that where water of sufficient quantity and having a temperature of about can be obtained air of a higher degree of temperature may be cooled by contact with such water sufficiently to render it available in cooling the interiors of buildings. When the water obtainable has, however, a temperature of or more, it has heretofore been impossible to use it direct as a cooling medium for air to lower the temperature of the air sufficiently to bring relief in summer, for the reason that with water at a temperature of 80 air mingling therewith can be lowered in temperature to only about at the best. It is possible, however, to cool the water used for cooling the air from 80 to (30 by passing it through a coolingtower in contact with the air, provided the moisture in the air is not greater than sixty per cent. lVhen the water has been so cooled, it may be utilized as a cooling medium for the air to be supplied to the interior of buildings. Frequently, however, the air available for use in the cooling-tower contains a greater percentage of moisture than sixty percent. lVhen this is the case, the moisture-laden air cannot absorb the evaporation heat from the water with which it mingles in passing through the cooling-tower, and therefore the temperature of the water cannot be lowered as it would be by the abstraction of its evaporation heat as a result of contact with air that is dry enough to absorb the evaporation heat from the water.

My invention lies chiefly in means by which air utilized to contact with the water to be cooled for the service hereinbefore mentioned is dried to reduce the percentage of moisture therein previous to its deliveryto mingle with the water, so that it will be in a condition to absorb the evaporation heat therefrom, and thus'lower the temperature of the water. In carrying out my improvement I utilize means for drying the .air by contact with a moisture-absorbing solution, means for preliminarily cooling the air, a cooling-tower in which the dried and partiallycooled air mingles with water to free a descending column of water of evaporation heat, means for withdrawing the water from the bottom of said cooling-tower and forcing it through an aircooling box located in a building, means for removing moisture absorbed by the air-drying solution, and a cooling-tower through which the air-drying solution is passed to lower its temperature.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings illustrating my. apparatus, which I will proceed to describe, A designates a compartment of a building in which my apparatus is located, and B a room to which cooled air is to be supplied.

1 designates a water-cooling tower, prefer ably located at the exterior of the buildingcompartment A. This water cooling tower may be of any ordinary constructionsuch as is usually employed in cooling water in connection with breweries, ice plants, or other factories where considerable water is made use of and must be lowered in temperature before reuse.

The cooling-tower 1 contains checker-work 2, distributing the water throughout its interior (see Figs. IV and VI) and over which the water to be cooled descends from the top of the tower. At the bottom of the tower is a water-receiving pan 3, that has connected to it a pipe 4, to which more particular reference will hereinafter be made. At the top of the tower l is a perforated distributing-pan, from which water escapes after entry thereinto to descend on the checker-work 2 and into pan 3.

The distributingpan 5 receives a supply of water from a tank 6, located above the tower and into which water is fed from a deliverypipe 7, that leads from a point of water-supply, to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

8 designates a water-supply pipe that leads from a hydrant or other source of water-supply and extends vertically to the water-cooling-tower box (5, within which it is controlled by a float-valve 8. This water-supply pipe serves to maintain a normal quantity of water in the tank 6 by reason of the float-valve 8 .being automatically opened whenever the water in the tank falls below normal level.

9 designates a drying-box into which I introduce a moisture-absorbing solution, such as chlorid of calcium, as illustrated in Figs.

I, II, III. 10 is a drying-compartment in said box 9, into which airis blown under blast from a suitable blower 11, that is provided with a spout 12, leading to one end of said box.

In the drying-box 9 is an evaporating-compartment 13, having communication with the dryingcompartment 10 and in which the moisture-absorbing solution in said box is present in common with the drying-compartment. The solution in the evaporating-compartment is kept constantly heated by a steam-pipe coil 14 to continuously dry the moisture therefrom that is absorbed from the air passed over the solution in the dryingcompartment of the box 9. The termination 15 of the steam-pipe coil 14. leads to the exterior of the drying-box for exhaust, and the coil is connected by a pipe 16 to a steamengine 17, so that exhaust or live steam from said engine may be delivered continuously into the pipe-coil ll.

Extending from the drying-box 9 toward the water-cooling tower 1 is a conduit 18, that contains a preliminary aircooling duct 19, having communication with the drying-compartment 10, but the bottom of which occupies a higher level than the ordinary level of the solution in the compartments 10 and 3 of the drying-box in order that the solution may be excluded from said duct. The conduit 18 leads to the lower end' of the watercooling tower 1 to deliver dried air thereinto from the drying-compartment 10 of the drying-box 9, as seen in Figs. I and IV.

Situated in the preliminary-cooling duct 19 is a pipe-coil 20, thatis connected by a valved pipe '7 to the water-delivery pipe 7, which leads to the top of the water-cooling tower. (See Figs. I and IV.) The coil 20 is also connected to the water-supply pipe 8 by a valved pipe S. The pipe-coil 20 has connected to it a pipe 21, that leads therefrom to a coil 22, located in an air-cooling box 23, (see Figs. I and VII,) located in a room of a building to which cool air is supplied. The pipe 21 is united to the water-tower delivery-pipe 7 by a valved pipe 7".

20 is an outlet-pipe having a valve and leading from the pipe-coil 20.

The air-cooling box 23 is divided by vertical apertured partitions 24c and 25 and a lower partition 26. Between these partitions is situated the pipe-coil 22, and its various folds are separated by division -strips 27, that in part extend from one of said partitions 24 and 25 and in part extend from the other of said partitions, as seen in Fig. VII, in each instance being discontinued within the folds of the coil in which they are located. By this construction provision is made for the distribution of air entering said air-cooling box from an air-conducting pipe 28, which first passes into a compartment 29 between the vertical partition 21 and the adjacent 'end wall of the cooling box and then passes through the apertures in said partition to flow in thin films around the folds of the pipe-coil 27 and find egress at the opposite end of the cooling-box through the apertures in the vertical partition 25 into a compartment 30.

From this last-named compartment the airpasses downwardly to a duct 31 at the bottom of the cooling-box, and finds egress therefrom through a series of apertures 32 in the bottom wall of the box. The apertures 32 are preferably controlled by the slide-damper 33, that may be moved to regulate the escape of air through said apertures from the coolingbox. The air passing from the cooling-box may enter directly into a room to be cooled, or it may be discharged into pipes to be conveyed to any desired point of delivery before being permitted to escape for cooling purposes.

341 is a blower to which the air-conducting pipe 28 is connected. This blower serves to furnish the supply of air introduced into the air-cooling box 23. The blower is operated by a motor 35, that is connected by wires 36 to a dynamo 37. The dynamo 37 is driven through which water is conducted from said pan, leads to a pump 40, that is operatively connected to the engine-driven shaft 88 by a belt 41. The water passing through the cooling-tower 1 is thereby returned for reuse to the pump 40 and passes therefrom through a pipe 4.2, that leads to the pipe-coil 22 in the air-cooling box .3.

a3 designates a solution-cooling tower preferably located exterior of the building-compartment A, as seen in Fig. I. This tower is formed with open sides for the admission of air into the tower, as seen in Fig. V, and is provided at its upper end with a perforated distributing-pan M, which solution delivered thereinto descends onto the checker-work in the tower and empties into a pan I5 at the bottom of the tower after its descent. The solution in the evaporatingcompartment of the drying-box is drawn therefrom through a conducting-pipe 4L6 to a pump 4. 7 and from said pump passes through a conducting-pipe 48, that leads to the top of the solution-cooling tower and discharges into the distributingpan 4st. Leading from the pan l5 at the bottom of the solution-cooling tower is a conducting-pipe 49, through which the cooled solution after having been passed through the tower returns to the drying-compartment of the drying-box 9.

In the practical use of my apparatus the moisture-absorbing solution is placed in the drying-box 0, as explained, and air is then forced through the drying-compartment of said box from the blower 11 and passes through the preliminary-cooling conduit 18 in a dried condition to enter the water-cooling tower 1 at its lower end and ascend in said tower. At the same time water is delivered to the top of said tower by the operation of the pump 40 and it descends in counterpassage to that of the ascending air. The result is that the dry air absorbs the evaporation heat of the water passing through the cooling-tower, and therefore lowers the temperature of such water. lVhile passing through the preliminary-cooling conduit 18 the dried air is cooled by contact with the pipe-coil 20 therein, through which the water is flowing for delivery to the top of the watercooling tower. At the same time that the foregoing operations are being carried out the pump .0 in withdrawing the cooled water from the bottom of the tower 1 is forcing said water therefrom through the pipe 42 and the pipe-coil in the air-cooling box 23 to cool the air forced therethrough, and the water subsequently passes from said coil to the pipecoil 20 in the preliminary-cooling conduit.

In the arrangement of the water-conducting pipe 21 and pipe-coil 20, in connection with the water delivery and supply pipes 7 and 8, I provide several courses for the passage of water, as follows: lVhen the water is to be conducted from the pipe-coil 22 in the air-cooling box 23 to the pipe-coil 20 and passed through said last-named coil to the water-delivery pipe 7 the valves in the connecting-pipes 7 and 8 are closed, as is also the valve in the outlet-pipe 20, leading from said coil. The valve 20 in the coil 20 and the pipe 7 is opened, and the course of water is through the pipe 21, pipe-coil 22, and pipe 7 to the delivery-pipe 7, the function of the apparatus being in such instance that hereinbefore described. In some instances it is desirable to intensify the cooling action in the apparatus. hen this is the case, the pipecoil 20 is cut out of communication with the pipe 21, leading from the air-cooling-box pipecoil 22 by closing the valve 20 and the valve in the pipe 7. The valves in the pipes 7" and 8 and the valve in the outlet-pipe 20 are opened. Under this condition the water flowing from the pipe-coil 22 passes through the pipe 21 directly to the water-delivery pipe 7 through the pipe 7 without passing through the coil 20 to be heated by the air passing over said pipe-coil 20, which constantly raises the temperature to a certain degree of the water that flows therethrough. The water that has passed through the air-cooling-box coil is therefore delivered to the water-cooling tower in a cooler condition than it would be in if it were passed through the coil 20. For the purpose of cooling the coil 20 water passes from the supply-pipe 8 through the pipe 8 to the coil 20 and after flowing therethrough escapes through the outlet-pipe 20, thereby maintaining a cool condition of said pipe-coil, so that the air passing thereover in the preliminarycooling duct 19 is lowered in temperature before entering the water-cooling tower 1.

As has been explained, the moisture absorbed by the solution'from the air dried is continuously freed therefrom in the evaporatin g-compartment 13, owing to the presence of the steam-coil therein to heat the solution, so that said solution is constantly kept in a condition to absorb the moisture from the air passed thereover to thereby produce a dry condition to the air that will permit of its absorbing the evaporation heat from the water it meets in the cooling-tower 1.

The moisture-absorbing solution is constantly cooled by withdrawing it from the airdrying box and passing it through the solution-cooling tower 42, as explained, so that the solution will be constantly kept at a low temperature to avoid heating the air passed thereover.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an apparatus for cooling air, the combination of a water-cooling tower, means for drying air and delivering it to said tower, means for preliminary cooling said air previous to its entrance into said tower, means for delivering water to said tower, and an aircooling box through which said water-delivery means passes, substantially asset forth.

2. In an air-cooling apparatus, the combination of a water-cooling tower, an air-drying box through which air is passed to be delivered to said tower, means for withdrawing Water from said tower an air-cooling box, means for passing the water from said tower through said air-cooling box and delivering it to said tower, and a pipe-coil interposed in said water-conducting means in the path of travel of the air passing to said water-cooling air-drying box and passing it to said solutiontower, substantially as set forth.

In an air-cooling apparatus, the combination of adrying-box containing a moistureabsorbing solution, means for introducing air into said drying-box and passing it therethrough, a water-cooling tower into which the air dried in said box is conducted to contact i l i z i l l l with water therein to absorb its evaporation heat, water-conducting means leading from and to said water-cooling tower, an air-cooling box through which said water-conductingmeans passes a solution-coolingtower, and means for withdrawing the solution from said cooling tower and returning it therefrom to said air-drying box, substantially as set forth.

ALFRED SIEBERI. In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, BLANCHE HOGAN. 

